The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia.times.hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Mariposa Rose.
The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Emerald, Victoria, Australia. The new Petunia originated from a cross made by the Inventor of a proprietary selection of Petunia.times.hybrida identified as code number 131098 as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia.times.hybrida identified as code number 429 as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia was selected in October, 1993 on the basis of its attractive flower color.
Plants of the new Petunia are more compact, more low spreading, and differ in flower color compared to plants of the female parent selection. Compared to plants of the male parent selection, plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers and also differ in flower color.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Emerald, Victoria, Australia, has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.